Bubblehead Rescued On Run to Bermuda

Man running in inflatable bubble rescued off coast of Florida

An ultra-marathoner trying to "run" from Florida to Bermuda in a human-powered inflatable bubble was rescued Saturday morning after he signaled for help, the Coast Guard said.

Reza Baluchi, according to his website, has set a goal of running across more than 190 recognized nations to encourage world peace.CNN ran a story about him in 2012.

The Coast Guard first encountered Baluchi on Wednesday after receiving a report about a man in a bubble off the coast of Miami, disoriented and asking for directions to Bermuda, a Coast Guard press release said. It was not clear when he started his quest.

IMHO, he should not have begun this attempt without warning the Coasties first, just as a courtesy if nothing else. What seems to work nicely in protected waters is likely to prove much more problematic in the real ocean with big waves and winds.

A Coast Guard cutter found Baluchi. Officials described the craft as a "hydro pod bubble" and a man in a 2013 YouTube video called a Baluchi bubble "a big hamster wheel." It moved along the ground as Baluchi ran inside.

In the press release, the Coast Guard said Baluchi had protein bars, bottled water, a GPS and a satellite phone. The Coast Guard conveyed the voyage's dangers and asked Baluchi to quit his journey because he didn't have enough supplies. But he wouldn't leave his vessel, officials said.

The Coast Guard monitored his progress and on Saturday morning an exhausted Baluchi activated his personal locating beacon, the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard HC-130 airplane and MH-60 helicopter, along with the vessel Maersk Montana, were sent to rescue Baluchi 70 nautical miles east of St. Augustine, the Coast Guard said.

I hope they send him the full bill.  He should pay it, and include a nice tip for the pilots.